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Bread and Circuses (episode)
Kirk, Spock and McCoy are captured on an Earth-like planet that possesses a 20th-century civilization with a twist: a Roman-style imperial system. They learn they are not the only Earthmen who have had to deal with it as they may. Summary Teaser When the discovers the empty wreckage of the – a merchant ship that has been missing for six years - drifting near the planet 892-IV. Act One Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down to the planet's surface to investigate. There they find a group of runaway slaves – "sun worshipers" called the "Children of the Sun" who are trying to escape being captured by the local police. Kirk, Spock and McCoy are captured by the group and taken before their leader Septimus. Septimus explains that the Children of the Sun follow teachings of peace and brotherhood, but are persecuted by the authorities for their religious beliefs. Flavius Maximus, a former gladiator, suggests they kill the landing party, but Septimus decides that they pose no threat. Kirk begins looking through magazines and realizes that the culture of 892-IV bears remarkable resemblance to Earth's ancient Rome, but blended with the technological advancements of the 20th century. He also notices that Merikus, First Citizen of Rome, is very similar to Captain R.M. Merik of the Beagle, and decides that they must be the same person. Kirk explains to the Children of the Sun that they are searching for survivors of the Beagle, and Flavius offers to lead them into the city. The group is spotted and captured by the police. Act Two Kirk and the rest of the captives are taken to the city where they meet Merik, who takes them to Proconsul of the Empire, Claudius Marcus. Merik explains that Marcus knows the real origins of both himself and the landing party. He explains that the Beagle was wrecked six years ago, at which point he was forced to beam down all of his crew. His crew was given the option of being integrated into the planet's society, or be forced to fight in televised Roman-like gladitorial competitions for the entertainment of the inhabitants of 892-IV. Kirk is now prevailed upon to have his crew beam down under the same terms. He refuses, but Marcus' guards threaten to shoot them all. Kirk contacts the Enterprise but tells Scotty Condition Green; the party is endangered – but he is not to attempt a rescue. Merik and Marcus know what the signal means and Marcus says that Kirk will watch his men die unless he complies. Act Three Kirk is forced to watch as Spock and McCoy are condemned to fight Flavius and another gladiator in the arena. Spock holds his own against his opponent, but McCoy is severely outmatched, only surviving because Flavius is reluctant to kill him. Flavius is whipped to encourage him to attack, whereupon he gives McCoy some fighting tips so they can make it "look real". Spock overpowers his opponent and then breaks the rules by saving McCoy's life, and both men are sent back to their cell. Act Four Through the conversation they have there, McCoy realizes that Spock is insecure about his ability to hide his emotions. Meanwhile, Marcus meets with Kirk and reveals that he will be executed unless he calls the Enterprise. Kirk still refuses and Marcus says that he will find some way to get the crew down to the planet regardless. He seemingly leaves Kirk alone until a woman Drusilla begins seducing him. Back on the Enterprise, they have intercepted the broadcasts announcing Kirk's execution. Scotty refuses to disobey orders and mount a rescue, but he reasons that if they disrupt the city's power, they wouldn't go through with the execution because it couldn't be broadcast. Kirk wakes up after Drusilla is gone and Marcus informs him that she was a courtesy to a civilized man, not an attempt at interrogation. They proceed to the execution. Flavius interrupts before Kirk can be skewered and is shot, and Kirk manages to escape when the Enterprise disrupts the power supply in the Roman city. Kirk attempts to rescue his crewmates, but is intercepted by the Romans, who have to attack using swords to avoid friendly fire. During the fighting, Merik signals the Enterprise, but is then stabbed by Marcus. Merik still manages to toss the commuicator to Kirk, and the three are beamed back to the Enterprise. Back aboard, Spock muses about how similar the ancient Earth Romans and the ones they observed on the planet are, but is confused because the ancient Romans never had a cult of sun worshippers like the Children of the Sun. Uhura, who has been monitoring the radio frequencies of the planet, tells them that the "sun worshipers" were actually worshiping the "Son of God" – Jesus Christ. Log entries *''Captain's log, stardate 4040.7. On the surface of planet IV, system 892, the landing party has won the confidence of what obviously is a group of runaway slaves. They dwell in caves not far from a large city, wear rags, live under primitive conditions. But they are creatures of a heavily industrialized 20th century-type planet very much like Earth, an amazing example of Hodgkin's Law of Parallel Planetary Development. But on this Earth, Rome never fell. A world ruled by emperors who can trace their line back 2,000 years, to their own Julius and Augustus Caesars. '' *''Captain's log, stardate 4040.9. Uniformed police like those of Earth, a great city like Rome with automobiles. Astonishing similarities to 20th Century Earth, down to the fine carbon steel in the bars. '' *''Ship's log, stardate 4041.2. Chief Engineer Scott recording. Captain Kirk and his landing party have checked in, but they have used the code term Condition Green, which means they're in trouble. But it also prohibits my taking any action. '' *''Enterprise log, Engineer Scott reporting. All banks in readiness for disruption of power sources on the planet's surface. '' *''Captain's log, stardate 4041.7. Note commendation, Engineering Officer Scott. Despite enormous temptation and strong personal feelings, he obeyed the Prime Directive. His temporary blackout of the city below resulted in no interference with the society and yet saved the lives of myself and the landing party. '' Memorable Quotes "Once, just once, I'd like to be able to land someplace and say, 'Behold, I am the Archangel Gabriel!'" "I fail to see the humor in that situation, Doctor." "Naturally. You could hardly claim to be an angel with those pointed ears, Mister Spock. But say you landed someplace with a pitchfork..." : - McCoy and Spock, after arriving on planet 892-IV "What do you call those?" "I call them ears." "Are you trying to be funny?" "Never." : - Flavius and Spock, as Flavius captures the landing party "Medical men are trained in logic, Mister Spock." "Really, Doctor? I had no idea they were trained. Watching you, I assumed it was trial and error." : - McCoy and Spock, discussing slavery on planet 892-IV "Are they enemies, Captain?" "I'm not sure they're sure." : - Flavius and Kirk, on Spock and McCoy "I know you, Flavius. You're as peaceful as a bull." : - Lead Policeman, as two guards take Flavius away "My world, Proconsul, is my vessel, my oath, my crew." : - Kirk to Claudius, as Spock and McCoy compare Earth history with planet 892-IV "You bring this network's ratings down, Flavius, and we'll do a special on you!" : - Master of the Games, as Flavius is whipped "We believe men should fight their own battles. Only the weak will die." : - Claudius, explaining the rules of the game to Kirk "The games have always strengthened us. Death becomes a familiar pattern. We don't fear it as you do." : - Claudius, on the Roman fighting spirit "Fight, you pointed-ear freak!" "You tell him, buster! Of all the completely ... ridiculous ... illogical questions ... I ever heard in my life!" : - Achilles and McCoy, after Spock asks McCoy if he needs any help in the arena "I'm trying to thank you! You pointed-eared hobgoblin!" : - McCoy, offended by Spock's lack of empathy "Do you know why you're not afraid to die, Spock? You're more afraid of living. Each day you stay alive is just one more day you might slip and let your human half peek out." : - McCoy, commenting on Spock's personal insecurity "You're a Roman, Kirk, or you should have been." : - Claudius, expressing admiration for Kirk "You may not understand because you're centuries beyond anything as crude as television." : - Claudius, as Kirk is taken to the arena "They threw me a few curves." : - Kirk to Spock, commenting on his night with Drusilla "I pity you, Captain Merik. But at least watch and see how men die." : - Claudius, as the guards corner Kirk, Spock and McCoy "Caesar and Christ. They had them both. And the word is spreading only now." : - Kirk, after realizing that Flavius worshiped the Son of God Background information Production timeline * Outline for NBC, * Story outline, * First draft script * Final draft teleplay by John Kneubuhl and Gene L. Coon, * Third revised final draft * Principal photography begins * Filmed mid- Story and script * Gene Roddenberry and Gene L. Coon wrote this episode's teleplay from a story by playwright and television writer John Kneubuhl. However, Roddenberry and Coon received sole writing credit for the episode. * The title, "Bread and Circuses" refers to the practice in ancient Rome of providing free grain and entertainment in the Colosseum to pacify the unemployed Roman masses. Many of them were impoverished farmers who had lost their land due to the consolidation of senatorial estates that tended to swallow up smaller farms in the area. Also, Nero, the Emperor (not the Romulan), famously said "give them bread...and games!". The best parodies are those which hit ticklishly near the truth. As Star Trek was fictionally portraying a Rome which still ruled the world, they were broadcasting this episode to a real 20th Century in which the masses were still kept just barely satisfied by bread & circuses, only now the bread arrives via food stamps. And the circuses? Both the Indianapolis Speedway and Spain's bull rings are direct descendants of The Coliseum. We think we've changed in two thousand years, but we really haven't. A Roman from back then, brought forward to today, would find much of our existence very familiar. * The episode parodies the television industry in several ways. Fake applause and catcalls are used to simulate a studio audience, and the race for high television ratings is lampooned several times. The TV station manager threatens the now-pacifist runaway slave that he had better fight convincingly: "You bring this network's ratings down, Flavius, and we'll do a special on you!" Later, the Proconsul sneers at Kirk about the captain's impending death, to be televised from the arena, by telling Kirk that "You're centuries beyond anything as crude as... television." Kirk replies, "I've heard it was... similar," an oblique reference to the series' own ratings difficulties. Comic relief is in the scene where McCoy and Spock heckle each other on the TV Stage during the gladiatorial duels. Production * The caves where the Children of the Son hide out are one of the most-used locations in television and movies. In addition to being the entrance to the , they are also seen in , and various police and western shows. They are located right below the famous Hollywood sign. * The newsreel scene of the arrest was filmed in front of an office building at Paramount Studios.http://ralph-senensky.blogspot.com/2010/02/bread-and-circuses-september-1967-star.html Paramount production buildings were also utilized for location filming in and . * One of the shots of the planetary capital (in the opening of Act II) is of the Great Dome at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, whose words can be read (somewhat) above the pillars. The next shot shows the Legion of Honor on the Left Bank in Paris; its motto honneur et patrie is not Latin but French. * This is one of only two TOS episodes featuring dialog in act one before the title of the episode appears on-screen. The other episode is . * Several sequences from this episode made the blooper reel: :* Jack Perkins had a line which was supposed to read, "If they refuse to move out on cue, skewer them" but instead said, "Screw them!". :* Ted Cassidy appeared out of nowhere dressed as Injun Joe from his work on The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and carried Shatner off just before he was going to machine-gun the lock of Spock and McCoy's cell. While he was being carried, Shatner yelled out "Hey, I don't know about you, but this is not the way it should work! I want you to know!" This was the first scene to be filmed that day, and when Cassidy visited the set, the cast and crew came up with this small prank to start the day's work in a happy mood. Everyone on the set knew about it, except Shatner.http://ralph-senensky.blogspot.com/2010/02/bread-and-circuses-september-1967-star.html :* As the police closed in on the landing party after they escape their cell, one of the extras slipped and fell; this is the reason there is a quick cut before the policemen reach the main corridor. Cast * George Takei (Sulu) does not appear in this episode. He was shooting at the time. * Voice-over artist Bartell LaRue makes one of two on-camera appearances in the series in this episode. The other is in . Sets and Props * Proconsul Marcus' insignia is not a Roman symbol (a legionary eagle or a fasces), but rather the coat of arms of the English playwright William Shakespeare. * The automatic weapons that the Roman guards wield are Danish Madsen m/50 submachine guns. Continuity * This is the only TOS episode in which it is explicitly stated that the planetary natives are speaking in English. (This was perhaps done to make the characters' misinterpretation of "Son Worshipers" as "Sun Worshipers" more plausible, as "Son" and "Sun" would likely not be homophones in another language.) * Two different characters have the same name in this one episode: the primary Claudius Marcus is the proconsul, while his namesake is mentioned as the gladiator who slew William B. Harrison, the last of the barbarians. Apocrypha * The Roman planet is revisited in the novel The Captains' Honor set 100 years after the encounter by the original Enterprise crew. The novel details how the alternate Rome conquered their world and explains that, 100 years after the events of "Bread and Circuses", the Romans have now achieved space flight, technological par with the Federation. Video and DVD releases * Original US Betamax release: . * UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 23, catalogue number VHR 2358, . * US VHS release: . * UK re-release (three-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 2.5, . * Original US DVD release (single-disc): Volume 22, . * As part of the TOS Season 2 DVD collection. * As part of the TOS-R Season 2 DVD collection. Links and References Starring * William Shatner as Capt. Kirk Also Starring * Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock :And * DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy Guest Star * William Smithers as Merik Co-Starring * Logan Ramsey as Claudius * Ian Wolfe as Septimus * William Bramley as Policeman :And * Rhodes Reason as Flavius Featuring * James Doohan as Scott * Nichelle Nichols as Uhura * Walter Koenig as Chekov * Bart LaRue as Announcer * Jack Perkins as Master of the Games * Max Kleven as Achilles :And * Lois Jewell as Drusilla Uncredited Co-Stars * Paul Baxley as Policeman #1 * William Blackburn as Hadley * Frank da Vinci as Brent * Roger Holloway as Roger Lemli * Jeannie Malone as a yeoman * Bob Orrison as Policemen #2 * Eddie Paskey as Leslie * Gil Perkins as Slave #3 * Paul Stader as Slave #1 * Tom Steele as Slave #2 * Unknown performers as: ** Claudius Marcus ** William B. Harrison ** Empire TV cameraman ** Legionnaire ** Citizens References 19th century; 20th century; 2262; 2263; 892 system (star system 892); 892-IV; amplitude modulation; angel; antimatter nacelle; archangel; atmosphere; barbarian; ''Beagle'', SS; bull; butcher; Caesar, Augustus; Caesar, Julius; carbon monoxide; carbon steel; Children of the Sun; City Arena; Class 4 stardrive vessel; class M; coat of arms; Condition Green; despotism; Empire; First Citizen; frequency modulation; First Citizen; fish; flight officer; Gabriel; garum; gladiator; hobgoblin; Hodgkin's Law of Parallel Planetary Development; hydrocarbon; internal combustion engine; iridium; Jupiter; Jupiter 8; landing party; Lord of the Games; Mars; Mars Toothpaste; Merikus; meteor; Name the Winner; Neptune; Neptune Bath Salts; nitrogen; ore; oxygen; parsec; pitchfork; Praetorian Guard; Prime Directive; Proconsul; Procedure Q; province; pyscho-stimulator test; roast kid; Roman; Rome; senator; slave; smog; Space Academy; sparrow; star sector; Starfleet regulations; survey vessel; sword; television; video; World War I; World War II; World War III External link * |next= |lastair= |nextair= |lastair_remastered= |nextair_remastered= }} de:Brot und Spiele es:Bread and Circuses fr:Bread and Circuses ja:TOS:もう一つの地球 nl:Bread and Circuses pl:Bread and Circuses Category:TOS episodes